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How to Instantly Shave 5 to 10 Strokes Off Your Golf Game!

By Clint Howard

Did you know that some of the most elite golfers on the PGA Tour have established their own strength and conditioning programs with a personal trainer? Due to the success of Tiger Woods, and Annika Sorenstan, golf...s popularity is at an all-time high. Golf has become extremely competitive and as golfers search for ways to improve their game, golf strength and conditioning programs are becoming extremely popular.

Would you like to drop 5-10 strokes off your game? Establishing a successful program to improve your game is the key to how well you place your next ball in the fairway. The help of a fitness trainer may likely be the best way to find a program that suits your game. Although experience and knowledge of the game are helpful, getting your body in the best physical shape possible will undoubtedly improve your game. Personal trainers don...t have to be skilled golfers but they should be trained on how to design a golf-conditioning program for a golfer. They must not only be familiar with what muscles are used in the golf swing but also be trained in overall golf-specific conditioning.

Golf requires coordinated movement of a lot of muscles throughout a large range of motion. In every golf swing, power is transferred from the legs through the core and the rest of the body and out to the club. Velocities can sometimes exceed 160 mph with proper muscle strength and control. The golf swing is an unnatural movement that is complex, explosive, and physically stressful. Since power is a function of force and velocity the importance of strength training cannot be overemphasized.

Conditioning is recommended in golf because it provides consistency in the game. Endurance is essential (aerobic and anaerobic) to make sure the last part of the golf swing is as effective and controlled as the first part of the swing and also to make sure the last drive of the day is just as powerful as the first one.

What can you do physically to improve your golf swing?

  1. Increase muscular strength- 5 mph can increase drive 40-50 yards
  2. Improve muscular control - a weak link can decrease drive by 20-30 yards
  3. Increase endurance - increase power and consistency, decrease fatigue & recovery time
  4. Improve balanced
  5. Increase flexibility - create more "coil" or torque, to generate more power, less compensation for altered joint mechanics and less swing faults
  6. Prevent injury - well stabilized limbs and joints, strong core

All phases of the golf swing, the set-up, back swing and downswing, and follow-through, are all equally important when it comes to golf conditioning. In the set-up phase, the ankles, knees, and hips should have strength and balance. A combination of a balance board and thera-bands are an excellent way to strengthen and balance these. The quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes are important for rotation and weight transfer. The stability ball, delayed squats, and other isometric exercises are essential to strengthening these muscles. Exercises such as good mornings, and rows are excellent to strengthen hip flexion and back extension.

For the back swing, shoulder rotation, trunk rotation and wrist strength are most important. Shoulder exercises, oblique twists, hammer curls, and wrist rolls are excellent exercises for the back swing.

For the downswing, shoulder rotation, left arm abduction, right arm adduction, abdominal flexion, and wrists are most important. Russian twists, thera-band exercises, and hammer curls are the best exercises for strengthening the downswing.

For the follow through of a golf swing, the deltoids, rotator cuffs, and the lower back must be strong. Right arm horizontal adduction, interior and exterior rotation exercises, low back exercises including spinal hyperextension, ball tosses, and bridges are all good..

It is extremely important to warm-up and stretch when golf-conditioning. Golf conditioning is also important for injury prevention, especially low back pain. Hitting a golf ball consistently and effectively for 18 holes requires coordinated muscle control, strength, and stamina. There are many major muscles involved in a full golf swing. These must be used in the proper sequence and to the degree necessary to achieve a fluid yet effective swing.

The leg muscles (quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteals) play a major role, generating a large portion of the golf swing's power. The hips initiate movement down into the ball, while the mid-section (abdominals, obliques, and erector spinae) transfers force from the legs to the torso and is responsible for swing acceleration.

The upper torso (pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, and deltoids) produces the actual swing and plays a big role in generating club head speed. Finally, the arms (biceps, triceps, and forearm flexors-extensors) control the accuracy of the club head on impact with the golf ball.

Strengthening and increasing overall flexibility in all of the muscle groups used in golf will maximize swing power and club head speed, improve control, increase overall endurance, and help reduce the risk of injury.

About the Author:

Clint Howard is a certified personal trainer in Tulsa, OK. He is the owner of Fitness Together in Bixby and Jenks/Riverside. He has been helping Oklahomans achieve their fitness and weight loss goal for over 9 years. He is certified with the American College of Sports Medicine(ACSM) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). His website is www.personaltrainertulsa.com